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ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon volleyball team continues its season of firsts this weekend when it hosts the 2012 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Final Four at the Hammermill Center. It represents the first time the Lady Knights have hosted a conference final four in school history.

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament Overview
Quarterfinals (Tuesday, November 13)
(W1) Gannon 3, (W4) Mercyhurst 0
(W2) California (Pa.) 3, (W3) Clarion 1
(E1) Lock Haven 3, (E4) Millersville 0
(E2) Shippensburg 3, (E3) West Chester 0

Semifinals (Friday, November 16)
(Final Four hosted by Gannon University)
California (Pa.) vs. Lock Haven (5 p.m.)
Gannon vs. Shippensburg (7:30 p.m.)

Championship (Saturday, November 17)
(Final Four hosted by Gannon University)
Semifinal winner #1 vs. Semifinal winner #2 (7 p.m.)

Final Four Ticket Prices (Prices are per day)
Adults - $7
Non-PSAC Students and Senior Citizens - $2
PSAC Students - Free with valid school ID

Gameday Notes
Ticket windows will open Friday at 4 p.m. Pre-match introductions for the first semifinal match will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the national anthem and the start of the match. The second semifinal match will begin at 7:30 p.m. or 45 minutes after the first semifinal match concludes - whichever comes later. Ticket windows will open Saturday at 6 p.m.

NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Implications
Eight teams will qualify for the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. Automatic berths will be granted to the PSAC, the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) postseason tournament champions. The top five teams in the final NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings that didn't win their respective conference title will qualify for the tournament as an at-large bid. The top seed in the Atlantic region will host the entire eight-team regional. All four teams in the PSAC Final Four are ranked among the region's top six. The NCAA Division II Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday, November 18 at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Gannon History vs. PSAC Final Four Teams
Gannon is 11-1 all-time against Shippensburg. The Lady Knights are 5-0 against the Raiders since joining the PSAC prior to the 2008 season, including a 3-0 sweep this season on a neutral floor at East Stroudsburg.

Gannon is 14-13 all-time against California (Pa.). The series has been dead even the last two seasons. California (Pa.) won 3-1 at the Hammermill Center this season, before Gannon returned the favor 3-1 on the road. In 2011, the Lady Knights won 3-0 at home and lost 3-2 on the road during the regular season. Cal then posted a 3-0 sweep at home during the PSAC Quarterfinals that year.

Gannon is 6-1 all-time against Lock Haven. The Lady Knights have won three consecutive matches against the Bald Eagles and are 3-1 in the series since joining the PSAC prior to the 2008 campaign. Gannon previously earned a 3-1 victory at Lock Haven this year.

Gannon Lady Knights
Head Coach: Matt Darling (6th season)
Overall Record: 26-5
PSAC Record: 17-2
PSAC Western Division Standing: 1st place
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Ranking: 3rd
NCAA Division II National Ranking: N/A

Team Leaders (Per Match)
Points: Lauren Sazama - 5.61
Kills: Lauren Sazama - 4.80
Blocks: Sarah Glancy - 1.05
Assists: Megan Wendel - 10.53
Digs: Taryn Graham - 3.95
Aces: Morgan Walters - 0.71

Gannon Team Notes

• Sazama was named the 2012 PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Year. Darling was named 2012 PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year. Kayla Knickerbocker was named 2012 PSAC Western Division Rookie of the Year.
• Sazama was named to the 2012 All-PSAC Western Division first team. Wendel and Morgan Reineke landed on the 2012 All-PSAC Western Division second team.
• Gannon won the PSAC Western Division regular-season crown for the first time since joining the conference in 2008.
• Last Tuesday's PSAC Quarterfinal Match was Gannon's first postseason home match since 1993. It was the Lady Knights' first postseason win since 2003.
• Gannon has won 10 of its last 11 matches and 21 of its last 24. The Lady Knights have won at least four consecutive matches on four different occasions.
• Gannon has won 10 consecutive matches against PSAC teams. There was a 3-2 road setback in non-conference action at Findlay during that stretch.
• Gannon's 26 overall victories and 17 conference wins both represent the most by a Lady Knight team under head coach Matt Darling.
• Gannon's 26 victories are the most by a Lady Knight team since the 1993 squad went 28-6.
• Gannon has reached the 20-win plateau for the fourth consecutive season. The PSAC tournament represents the fourth straight postseason appearance for the Lady Knights.
• Gannon ranks 11th among NCAA Division II teams in aces per set (2.22), 23rd in won-loss percentage (.833) and 23rd in hitting percentage (.250).
• Sazama leads all NCAA Division II players in points per set (5.63). She ranks third in kills per set (4.80) and 11th in aces per set (0.60). She has been named PSAC Athlete of the Week five times this season, bringing her career total to nine.

Shippensburg Raiders
Head Coach: Leanne Piscotty (9th season)
Overall Record: 27-10
PSAC Record: 14-5
PSAC Eastern Division Standing: 2nd place
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Ranking: 6th
NCAA Division II National Ranking: N/A

Team Leaders (Per Match)
Points: N/A
Kills: Jill Edwards - 3.58
Blocks: Taylor Gottshall - 1.23
Assists: Andrea Heimsoth - 8.93
Digs: Lauren Murphy - 4.05
Aces: Andrea Heimsoth - 0.39

Shippensburg Team Notes

• Shippensburg is making its first PSAC semifinal appearance since 2009.
• Tuesday's sweep of West Chester represented Shippensburg's first postseason home match since 2007.
• Shippensburg has achieved its second-most wins in a season in school history, trailing only the 2007 team that finished 30-12 overall and remains the only SU squad to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
• Piscottty was named 2012 PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year. Gottshall was named 2012 PSAC Eastern Division Rookie of the Year.
• Edwards landed a spot on the All-PSAC Eastern Division first team. Gottshall, Heimsoth and Murphy were named to the second team.

California (Pa.) Vulcans
Head Coach: Peter Letourneau (2nd season)
Overall Record: 28-6
PSAC Record: 15-4
PSAC Western Division Standing: 2nd place
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Ranking: 1st
NCAA Division II National Ranking: N/A

Team Leaders (Per Match)
Points: N/A
Kills: Brandy Harris - 3.10
Blocks: Meghan Franz - 1.07
Assists: Abbey Freund - 6.16
Digs: Molly Delaney - 4.19
Aces: Taylor Melidona - 0.44

California (Pa.) Team Notes

• The second-seeded Vulcans enter the semifinals riding a five-match winning streak. Cal U defeated Clarion 3-2 in the quarterfinals led by senior Kelly Fromknecht, who recorded 11 kills, 28 assists and nine digs.
• Classmate Meghan Franz posted a team-high 14 kills and junior Molly Delaney tallied 20 digs in the victory. 
• Senior Brandy Harris added nine kills; Harris posted a team-high 19 kills against Lock Haven in last year's championship match en route to being named PSAC Tournament MVP.

Lock Haven Bald Eagles
Head Coach: Dan Kreiger (1st season)
Overall Record: 25-9
PSAC Record: 16-3
PSAC Eastern Division Standing: 1st place
NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Ranking: 5th
NCAA Division II National Ranking: N/A

Team Leaders (Per Match)
Points: N/A
Kills: Gao Xuan - 3.75
Blocks: Bailey Farthing - 1.03
Assists: Alexa Garrity - 10.45
Digs: Erin Walsh - 5.07
Aces: Jessica Brown - 0.54

Lock Haven Team Notes

• Xuan was named 2012 PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Year, marking her fourth consecutive player of the year award. She has been named PSAC Eastern Division Player of the Week five times this season.
• Walsh was named 2012 PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year.
• Lock Haven dominated the Eastern Division awards, landing four players on the first team - Xuan, Farthing, Garrity and Walsh. Grace Novacek was named to the second team.